By Sean Hayes
Christmas is the season for giving thanks and giving to those in need. With a terrible economy and a looming worldwide recession, I think this Christmas should be a time to thank those who have contributed to society and give to those in need.
I would like to begin by thanking those that have given so much to me and end by thanking charities that are doing great things for the less fortunate.
I thank the Constitutional Court of Korea for being the first and only judicial institution to hire a foreigner. My six-plus years here have been the most memorable, rewarding and interesting of my life.
I thank former President Justice Yun Young-chul for bringing respect to the court through his deep integrity and sense of duty to his nation. I thank current court chief Lee Kang-kook and his loyal and dedicated secretary and deputy secretary general for implementing needed structural reforms.
Without the efforts of this court's justices and staff, this nation's constitutional democracy would have never advanced to its present state.
After years of great offers here and abroad, I was blessed enough to stumble upon a firm that I wholeheartedly believe has the highest quality attorneys, including my former boss, the ex-president of the Constitutional Court, and most importantly, the most trustworthy attorneys, in Korea. This firm led me to leave the Constitutional Court, my law faculty position, and a good local law firm.
I thank the attorneys at LOGOS Law LLC for creating a firm that is truly dedicated to maintaining the highest level of professionalism while fostering an atmosphere that promotes fellowship among attorneys, pro bono initiatives, and service to the community. I am thankful and proud to be working for one of Asia's first true great international law firms.
I thank the Lee Myung-bak administration for having a bold and forward-looking liberalist vision for Korea. In this time of need, without the strong leadership of a visionary, Korea may be left in a prolonged economic funk.
I thank my family in the United States for being patient and considerate enough to allow their only child to continue on this Asian journey.
I thank The Korea Times for providing readers around the world with a great means of accessing information about Korea. The editing may not be up to par, but the publication's content is the best in the Korean market.
I thank my clients for allowing me to do what I love to do. I love to see them succeed and prosper. I love to solve problems and make clients realize that with the right attorney and law firm, doing business in Korea is not all that difficult.
I thank the staff and my friends at 3 Alley Pub, a place where I usually spend one night per week, for serving a good pint of Guinness, cheap buffalo wings, and a hearty taste of provocative conversation.
I thank myself for being somewhat young and not dumb enough to have substantial credit card debt. The markets are terrible and my savings have been nearly halved, but approaching 40 and without any credit card debt, I remain in good financial shape for retirement.
I thank U.S. President-elect Barack Obama. I didn't vote for him, but I have deep respect for the ``hope" that he is giving to so many young Americans. I am also thankful that the most liberal of his campaign promises will be left on the campaign trail.
I thank some great charities that I had the great pleasure of donating to. I would specifically like to thank Save the Children for living up to its name, Catholic Charities for assisting over 7.5 million Catholics and non-Catholics per year, the Institute for Justice for being one of the only voices in the courtroom for economic liberties, and Habitat for Humanity International for dedicating itself to the plight of the homeless.
This year was quite good for most of us. Let us give thanks and prayers to those that have affected our lives and give to those that were less fortunate. I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.
Sean Hayes is a New York attorney working with the Seoul office of LOGOS Law LLC, one of Korea's largest international law firms with offices in Beijing, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Incheon, Moscow, Phnom Penh, Seoul and Songdo. He formerly worked as a law faculty member and for the Constitutional Court of Korea. He can be reached at SeanHayes@LawLogos.com